Stories for June 28, 2013

Mayor Bob Filner said that while he knew Sunroad Centrum Partners had written checks, he was under the impression the money was a donation to the city and not a way to guarantee a building-permit change.

Remember that episode of The Simpsons when Homer gets to design a car "for the average man," and ends up creating a slime-green monstrosity that bankrupts his half-brother's company? Well, a team of freak car builders in San Diego have recreated Homer's dream car in painstaking detail, gigantic cupholders and all.

Same-sex couples in San Diego County and across the state were cleared today to get married, with a federal appeals court lifting a stay it had placed on the unions while the battle over Proposition 8 was pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.

"Anthem" tells the story behind Francis Scott Key's "The Star-Spangled Banner," the song famously penned after the relentless bombardment by the British of Fort McHenry during The War of 1812. During the program, the U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club and St. John's College Chorus give voice to this stirring and elegant song, including a performance of its first draft.

"Secrets Of Henry VIII’s Palace" revisits the often dark and twisted tales of the ever-fascinating King Henry VIII and his six wives, secrets that permeate Hampton Court’s grand façade and its lavish interior. Hampton Court is the ultimate royal pleasure palace — embodying the indulgent and grandiose kingship built by Cardinal Wolsey and developed by Henry VIII. Go beneath the brick and stone of this true pleasure palace and now thriving tourist location to uncover an abundance of art and stories that bring Hampton Court alive.

It’s been 15 years since ANTIQUES ROADSHOW visited Milwaukee. Ever wonder what some of the items appraised back then are worth now? Watch updates on items such as a Tiffany lamp, which was appraised at $8,000-$15,000 in 1998 and is now valued between $20,000 and $30,000!

Irish filmmaker Neil Jordan has a flair for spinning contemporary fairy tales inspired by things like werewolves and mermaids. For his latest film, "Byzantium" (opening June 28 at Landmark's Hillcrest Cinema), he returns to vampires.

SDUSD Superintendent Bill Kowba retires after seven years with the district, the last three as superintendent. He tells KPBS about bringing the district through some tough economic times and what he hopes for the incoming superintendent.

Martha demonstrates two of the oldest preserving techniques, confit and salting, and shows how viewers can put them to use in the home kitchen. Martha makes an assortment of confits — starting with the most classic: duck, which can be served on its own or as a rich addition to salads, then followed by lemon and tomato confits, both of which make excellent condiments for grilled or roasted meats. She then shows how to make gravlax, a delicious cured salmon appetizer.

The U.S. Supreme Court's dual rulings on same-sex marriage establishes a major victory for civil rights. Creditors are lining up to get their share of what's left of San Diego Hospice. The military cites climate change as a vital national security issue and leads the way on alternative energy.

In my last column, I tackled your questions about choice. Specifically, I wrote about your options under Obamacare if your employer-sponsored health insurance is too expensive or doesn't provide access to the doctors or hospitals you prefer.

Sequestration budget cuts have prompted the Defense Commissary Agency to cancel its September case lot sale worldwide. During case lot sales, commissaries sell cases of items to shoppers at a discount.

Lonnie Snowden says he doesn't believe his son, Edward, committed treason when he leaked information about a top secret American program that collects vast metadata about Americans' electronic activity.